Safety-stirrup.



P. G. HELSING.

SAFETY STIRRUP.

APPLICATION 111.21) MAY 25, 1910.

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Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

Inrewfiv': e221" 6 .17512152 1 9- PETER G. HELSING,

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or EMIDA, IDAHO.

SAFETYSTIRRUP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER G. I-lnnsrne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emida, in the county of Kootenai and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Stirrups, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in stirrups to be employed in connection with saddles used for horseback riding, and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved stirrup which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable and effective in operation, and so made that the lower portion or member thereof, on which the foot of the rider rests, will be automatically detached at one of its ends from the arched or bowed upper member, when the lower member is turned to an angular position with respect to the other member, by the foot, when the rider is thrown or falls from the horse, thus releasing the riders foot and preventing him being dragged and injured.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the parts of the stirrup that the detachable member or foot-rest can be readily inserted in its operative position, yet when turned to a suitable angle, will be released at one of its ends only, while its other end will be loosely yet securely connected to the other member, so as to allow the foot-rest to hang downwardly without becoming detached at said end.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of a stirrup embodying the invention, showing by dotted lines the positions the parts will occupy when the lower member or foot-rest has been detached at one of its ends; Fig. 2, a side view of one prong of the arch or bow, showing one end of the foot-rest therein in its normal position; Fig. 8, is a side view of a portion of the opposite prong of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 25, 1910.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910. Serial No. 563,499.

the arch, showing the opposite end of the foot-rest therein; Fig. et, is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of one of the prongs of the stirrup and a part of the foot-rest showing by dotted lines the position it will occupy when its other end is detached from the other prong of the stirrup; Fig. 5, is a similar view of like parts showing the foot-rest in position when about to be detached from one of the prongs; and Fig. 6, is a detached inverted perspective view f the footrest.

Like numerals of reference, refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views of the drawing.

The reference numeral 10, designates the upper member of the stirrup which is preferably made of metal and is provided at its upper portion with a slot 11, to receive the stirrup leather or strap, which attaches it to the saddle. As shown, the member 10, is in the form of a bow or arch, having two depending prongs 12, and 13, one or both of which has sufficient resiliency or spring to cause them to slightly separate when disconnected at their lower ends. The lower portion of the prong 12, is provided with a forwardly inclined slot let, the lower end of which terminates in a circular portion 15, to form a bearing for one end of the lower member or foot-rest 16, which is preferably made of a flat piece of metal having at one of its ends a short journal 17, which is pro vided at its free end with a laterally extended arm 18, which arm depends at an angle from the plane of the foot-rest 16, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, of the drawing. The other prong 13, has formed in its lower portion an elongated opening 19, the upper and lower portions of which are downwardly inclined as at 20, (see Figs. 4, and 5, of the drawing). This opening is for the reception and operation of a short journal 21, located on the opposite end of the foot-rest 16, from that on which the ournal 17, is located and as shown in the different views of the drawing, is elbow-shaped and provided with an elongated head 22, at its free end. The outer portion 23, of the journal 21, is disposed at substantially a right angle to the lower surface of the member 16, and when said member is in its normal position as shown in Figs. 1, to 4, inclusive, said outer portion will depend below the lower portion of the opening 19, while the journal 21, will rest in said open ing or bearing therefor. As the head 22, is elongated, as well as the opening 19, it is apparent that by placing the head vertically with respect to the prong 13, or so that its length will aline with the length of the opening 19, said head may be readily inserted through the opening, when by turning the member 16, downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the head will be disposed transversely with respect to the opening 19, and on the outside of the prong 13, in which said opening is formed. By raising the member 16, from the dotted line position, to a horizontal position, it will be understood that the inner portion of the journal 21, will be seated in the opening 19, or bearing, and that by turning the member 16, to the proper angle for the arm 18, on the journal 17, to register with the slot 14, said arm may be extended through said slot by springing the prongs 12, and 13, together, after which, the member 16, can be turned to the position shown in Figs. 1, and 2, when the member 16, or foot-rest will be locked in place, yet in such a manner that when it is tilted rearwardly, the arm 18, will be caused to register with the slot or opening 14, when by reason of the resiliency of the arch or its prongs, the member 16, will be detached at the end thereof, on

which the arm 18, is located, thus allowing the member 16, to drop down to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig 1, thereby releasing or freeing the foot of the rider.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is A safety stirrup consisting of an upper member having depending resilient prongs, one of which is provided with an inclined slot terminating at its lower end in a circu lar bearing, and the other with a vertically disposed elongated opening having its upper and lower portions downwardly and inwardly beveled, and a lower or foot-rest member having at one of its ends a ournal provided on its free end with a laterally disposed arm defiected downwardly from the plane of the foot-rest member, said member having at its other end an elbow-shaped journal provided at its free end with an elongated head, the first-named journal and arm adapted to coact with the said slot and the elbow-shaped journal and its head with the elongated opening.

PETER G. HELSING.

Vitnesses LOUIS L. J. HU'roHINsoN, LEVI CRow. 

